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Webster 1913 Edition

Content

Con-tent′

(kŏn-tĕnt′)
,
Adj.
[F.
content
, fr. L.
contentus
, p. p. of
contenire
to hold together, restrain. See
Contain
.]
Contained within limits; hence, having the desires limited by that which one has; not disposed to repine or grumble; satisfied; contented; at rest.
Having food and rai ment, let us be therewith
content
.
1 Tim. vi. 8.

Con′tent

(kŏn′tĕnt or kŏn-tĕnt′; 277)
,
Noun.
; usually in pl.,
Contents
.
1.
That which is contained; the thing or things held by a receptacle or included within specified limits;
as, the
contents
of a cask or bale or of a room; the
contents
of a book
.
I shall prove these writings . . . authentic, and the
contents
true, and worthy of a divine original.
Grew.
2.
Power of containing; capacity; extent; size.
[Obs.]
Strong ship’s, of great
content
.
Bacon.
3.
(Geom.)
Area or quantity of space or matter contained within certain limits;
as, solid
contents
; superficial
contents
.
The geometrical
content
, figure, and situation of all the lands of a kingdom.
Graunt.
Table of contents
, or
Contents
,
a table or list of topics in a book, showing their order and the place where they may be found: a summary.

Con-tent′

,
Verb.
T.
[F.
contenter
, LL.
contentare
, fr. L.
contentus
, p. p. See
Content
,
Adj.
]
1.
To satisfy the desires of; to make easy in any situation; to appease or quiet; to gratify; to please.
Do not
content
yourselves with obscure and confused ideas, where clearer are to be attained.
I. Watts.
Pilate, willing to
content
the people, released Barabbas unto them.
Mark xv. 15.
2.
To satisfy the expectations of; to pay; to requite.
Syn. – To satisfy; appease; please. See
Satiate
.

Con-tent′

,
Noun.
1.
Rest or quietness of the mind in one's present condition; freedom from discontent; satisfaction; contentment; moderate happiness.
Such is the fullness of my heart's
content
.
Shakespeare
2.
Acquiescence without examination.
[Obs.]
The sense they humbly take upon
content
.
Pope.
3.
That which contents or satisfies; that which if attained would make one happy.
So will I in England work your grace's full
content
.
Shakespeare
4.
(Eng. House of Lords)
An expression of assent to a bill or motion; an affirmative vote; also, a member who votes “Content.”.
Supposing the number of “
Contents
” and “Not contents” strictly equal in number and consequence.
Burke.

Webster 1828 Edition

Content

CONTENT

,
Adj.
[L., to be held; to hold.] Literally, held, contained within limits; hence, quiet; not disturbed; having a mind at peace; easy; satisfied, so as not to repine, object, or oppose.
Content with science in the vale of peace.
Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 1 Timothy 6.

CONTENT

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To satisfy the mind; to make quiet, so as to stop complaint or opposition; to appease; to make easy in any situation; used chiefly with the reciprocal pronoun.
Do not content yourselves with obscure and confused ideas, where clearer are to be obtained.
Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas. Mark 15.
2.
To please or gratify.
It doth much content me, to hear him so inclined.

CONTENT

,
Noun.
1.
Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness.
A wise content his even soul securd; By want not shaken, nor by wealth allurd.
2.
Acquiescence; satisfaction without examination.
The style is excellent; the sense they humbly take upon content.
3.
The term used in the House of Lords in England, to express an assent to a bill or motion.

CONTENT

,
Noun.
1.
Often in the plural, contents. That which is contained; the thing or things held, included or comprehended within a limit or line; as the contents of a cask or bale; of a room or a ship; the contents of a book or writing.
2.
In geometry, the area or quantity of matter or space included in certain lines.
3.
The power of containing; capacity; extent within limits; as a ship of great content.
[But in this sense the plural is generally used.]

Definition 2024

content

content

English

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkɒn.tɛnt/
  • (US) enPR: kŏn'tĕnt, IPA(key): /ˈkɑn.tɛnt/
  • Hyphenation: con‧tent

Noun

content ‎(countable and uncountable, plural contents)

  1. (uncountable) That which is contained.
    • 2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 27:
      The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about "creating compelling content", or […] and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention.
  2. Subject matter; substance.
    • Grew
      I shall prove these writings […] authentic, and the contents true, and worthy of a divine original.
  3. The amount of material contained; contents.
  4. Capacity for holding.
  5. (mathematics) The n-dimensional space contained by an n-dimensional polytope (called volume in the case of a polyhedron and area in the case of a polygon).
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English, from Old French content, from Latin contentus ‎(“satisfied, content”), past participle of continere ‎(“to hold in, contain”); see contain.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: kəntĕnt', IPA(key): /kənˈtɛnt/

Adjective

content ‎(comparative more content or contenter, superlative most content)

  1. Satisfied about a particular circumstance; thus, in a state of satisfaction.
    • 1915, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price, chapterI:
      This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking. […] He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
Derived terms
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 3

From Old French contente ‎(“content, contentment”), from contenter; see content as a verb.

Noun

content ‎(plural contents)

  1. Satisfaction; contentment.
    They were in a state of sleepy content after supper.
    • Shakespeare
      Such is the fullness of my heart's content.
    • C.L. Moore, "Vintage Season" (1946)
      Kleph moved slowly from the door and sank upon the chaise longue with a little sigh of content.
  2. (obsolete) acquiescence without examination.
    • Alexander Pope
      The sense they humbly take upon content.
  3. That which contents or satisfies; that which if attained would make one happy.
    • Shakespeare
      So will I in England work your grace's full content.
  4. (Britain, House of Lords) An expression of assent to a bill or motion; an affirmate vote.
  5. (Britain, House of Lords) A member who votes in assent.
Derived terms

Etymology 4

From Old French contenter, from Medieval Latin contentare ‎(“to satisfy”), from Latin contentus ‎(“satisfied, content”); see content as an adjective.

Verb

content ‎(third-person singular simple present contents, present participle contenting, simple past and past participle contented)

  1. (transitive) To give contentment or satisfaction; to satisfy; to gratify; to appease.
    You can't have any more - you'll have to content yourself with what you already have.
    • Bible, Mark xv. 15
      Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them.
    • I. Watts
      Do not content yourselves with obscure and confused ideas, where clearer are to be attained.
  2. (transitive, obsolete) To satisfy the expectations of; to pay; to requite.
    • Shakespeare
      Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you.
Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin contentus.

Pronunciation

Adjective

content m ‎(feminine singular contente, masculine plural contents, feminine plural contentes)

  1. content, satisfied, pleased

Verb

content

  1. third-person plural present indicative of conter
  2. third-person plural present subjunctive of conter

Middle French

Adjective

content m ‎(feminine singular contente, masculine plural contens, feminine plural contentes)

  1. happy; satisfied; content

Norman

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin contentus ‎(“having been held together, contained”), from contineō, continēre ‎(“hold or keep together, surround, contain”).

Adjective

content m

  1. (Jersey) happy

Etymology

From Latin contentus ‎(“satisfied, content”), past participle of continere ‎(“to hold in, contain”); see contain.

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